Chris Dokish

BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #26 – #24

Today we continue the countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to the #1 Big East player of all-time.

Today we continue with a look at #26, #25 and #24 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #29 – #27

Today we continue the countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we continue with a look at #29, #28 and #27 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #38 – #36

Today we continue our countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we continue with a look at #38, #37 and #36 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #41 – #39

Today we continue our countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we continue with a look at #41, #40 and #39 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #44 – #42

Today we continue our countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we continue with a look at #44, #43 and #42 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #47 – #45

Today we continue our countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we continue with a look at #47, #46 and #45 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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BIG EAST ALL-TIME TOP 50 PLAYERS: #50 – #48

Today we begin our countdown of the Big East All-Time Top 50 Players compiled by NBE Basketball Report recruiting analyst and staff writer Chris Dokish.

Over the course of the next four weeks, leading up to the start of the 2008-2009 regular season, our top 50 list will be revealed as we countdown to #1.

Today we start with a look at #50, #49 and #48 on our list. Enjoy the trip through the history of the Big East.

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DARNELL DODSON NOT TO RE-ENROLL @ PITT

The NBE Basketball Report has learned from a source close to the situation that Miami-Dade Community College forward Darnell Dodson is ineligible to re-enroll at Pittsburgh due to Big East rules. In an effort to make it happen, Pitt has exhausted all possibilities, but the staff foresaw the possibility and has kept on recruiting.

Last weekend the Panthers hosted New York City guard Durand Scott for an official visit as well as Talib Zanna, a power forward from Bishop McNamara in Maryland. On Sunday night, the Pitt staff will also have an in-home visit with St. Anthony’s (NJ) star shooting guard Dominic Cheek. The source indicated the Panthers are looking to add another guard and another big man to a class that includes verbal commitments from Lamar Patterson of St. Benedict’s (NJ), Dante Taylor of National Christian Academy (MD) and JJ Richardson from Hightower (TX).

Dodson was a class of 2007 commitment for Pittsburgh, but found out last September that he was not going to be cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Since Dodson was enrolled at Pittsburgh and declared a non-qualifier, he was not allowed to be on scholarship at Pitt due to the Big East rule not allowing member schools to accept non-qualifiers and he ended up enrolling at Miami-Dade. Dodson sat out last season and will have three years of eligibility after this season once completing degree requirements at Miami-Dade CC.

For a recent story on Dodson, see our Catching Up With Darnell Dodson story from earlier this month.

Chris Dokish contributed to this report.

DURAND SCOTT SET TO VISIT PITT

(updated 9/19/08)

A source close to the situation has informed the NBE Basketball Report that Rice HS shooting guard Durand Scott has made plans to visit Pittsburgh this weekend following a visit by at least one Pitt staff member to New York City today.

The Panthers also have plans to host Talib Zanna, a 6-foot-8 PF from Bishop McNamara HS in the Washington DC-area. Lincoln (NYC) High School 6-foot-8 C/PF James Padgett was also expected to visit, but with the commitment earlier from J.J. Richardson, he has decided to look at other options.

A recent update has confirmed both Zanna and Scott have arrived for their visits on the Pitt campus Friday evening.

A pair of other Pitt verbal commitments, National Christian Academy’s Dante Taylor and St. Benedict’s (NJ) Prep shooting guard Lamar Patterson will also make their official visits this weekend as the Pittsburgh basketball team will be honored during the Panthers football game against Iowa by receiving their Big East Tournament Championship rings in a ceremony between the 1st and 2nd quarters.

Chris Dokish contributed to this report.

PITT VISIT IMPRESSES TEXAS FORWARD

J.J. Richardson comes very close to pulling trigger for Panthers

by Chris Dokish

The Pittsburgh basketball program is looking to add one, if not two, big men to their 2009 class and one of their main targets is combo forward J.J. Richardson of Hightower HS in Missouri City, TX. The 6-foot-7, 235 pound Richardson visited the Pitt campus this past weekend and came away very impressed.

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CATCHING UP WITH J.J. RICHARDSON

Texan forward coming east to visit Pitt August 30th

by Chris Dokish

J.J. Richardson of Hightower HS in Missouri City, TX does not come from Big East territory, but he has still been noticed by Pittsburgh, a school that knows a thing or two about big time sleepers.

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DEANDRE KANE TO PREP SCHOOL, PITT NOTES

Kane moving to New Hampton Prep with Pitt, St. John’s and others watching

by Chris Dokish

Contrary to a local Pittsburgh media report, 6-foot-3 shooting guard DeAndre Kane of Schenley HS in Pittsburgh has not become eligible to play this season. There has been speculation that if Kane did become eligible this summer, that he would join the Panthers this season. But instead, Kane will play for the New Hampton School, a prep school in New Hampton, NH.

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CATCHING UP WITH TOM DRONEY

2010 top guard prospect could commit soon

by Chris Dokish

Other than star center DeJuan Blair, the Pittsburgh basketball team has not had the best of luck when it comes to landing the handful of top local prospects that they have pursued. But that may change next month when versatile 6’5” 185 pound Tom Droney is expected to make his decision.

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PITTSBURGH LOOKS AT TEXAS FORWARD

Panthers and Oklahoma State among high majors interested in JJ Richardson

by Chris Dokish

Names on the 2009 recruiting trail such as Aaric Murray and Thomas Robinson had Pittsburgh fans dreaming of a powerful front line in their future.

Already with a verbal commitment from Dante Taylor, the 6-foot-9 power forward from National Christian Academy in Fort Washington (MD) and with current 6-foot-6, 280 pound star sophomore center DeJuan Blair on the roster, adding a player like Murray or Robinson had Panther fans giddy over the thought of Pitt demolishing other teams down low. While Murray and Robinson may no longer be considering Pitt strongly, they were only two of the big men the Panthers coveted. There was another that they have been falling in love with, and he’s a sleeper, from of all of places, the suburbs of Houston, Texas.

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THOMAS ROBINSON STILL MULLING POTENTIAL VISITS

Fast rising prospect clarifies previous reports of planned visits

by Chris Dokish

Thomas Robinson, the 6-foot-7, 220 pound combo forward that will play this season at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, wants to set the record straight.

Robinson is perhaps the fastest rising prospect in the country this season and has elevated himself to at least a top 50 player in the country. Robinson is a beast on the court, but that belies his soft spoken demeanor off of it. That is, until he scours the articles about himself and finds things that he feels need to be clarified. Two such cases happened this week, one from this website and one from another national website.

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HOT PROSPECT: THOMAS ROBINSON

Robinson’s new found fame is burning up AAU coach’s phone

By Chris Dokish

Maybe the fastest rising prospect in the country this summer has been 6’7” 220 pound forward Thomas Robinson. Currently playing for the interestingly named Squash All Beefs AAU team, Robinson is transferring this year from Riverdale Baptist HS in Upper Marlboro, MD to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH. And unless he commits to somebody before the summer is over, it looks like he will be followed by dozens of basketball coaches.

When the summer began, Robinson was considered a borderline top 100 player, but after tearing it up this summer, he is now considered a top 50 prospect.

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DARNELL DODSON READIES FOR PITT, BIG EAST

JUCO coach calls return to Pitt ‘a done deal’, Pitt looks at JUCO Center

By Chris Dokish

One of Pittsburgh’s best recruits last season only played in informal workouts at the school before being informed by the NCAA Clearinghouse that he was ineligible. But that hasn’t stopped Darnell Dodson from his ongoing pursuit of the NBA- or his desire to play for Pitt.

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DOMINIC CHEEK RECRUITING UPDATE

Elite Junior Still Sorting Out College Interest

By Chris Dokish

Class of 2009 top 15 prospect Dominic Cheek has another year of high school left at St. Anthony’s in Jersey City, NJ, but that doesn’t mean that eager coaches and fans aren’t clamoring to have him on their team. Unfortunately for them, however, Cheek is not yet close to a decision. In fact, he hasn’t even really concentrated much on who the major contenders would be.

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AAU PROFILE OF THE UNIQUE ALL-STARS

By Chris Dokish

New York City and New Jersey is known to have some of the best high school basketball players in the country, and consequently they also have some of the best AAU teams in the country. But if you go east of New York City, you’ll end up in Long Island where you find the Unique All-Stars.

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TOBIAS HARRIS AMONG CLASS OF 2010 ELITE

6’8 small forward nearly the full package aleady as a sophomore

By Chris Dokish

On of the top sophomores in the country is already getting major offers, and more could be heading his way soon.  Tobias Harris of Half Hollow Hills West HS in Dix Hills, NY is finishing up his sophomore year of high school, but already stands 6’8” and weighs 220 pounds, according to his father, Torrel.

The Long Island native obviously has great height for the small forward position already, but he may not be done growing yet. “We think he’s going to be 6’10”, says Mr. Harris, who coaches his son for the Unique All-Stars.

Rutgers was the first to offer, according to Mr. Harris, followed by Indiana and then Connecticut. Maryland, Marquette, Baylor, and Arizona are others that have thrown their hat in the ring. There will be more, like perhaps Memphis where former Arizona assistant John Pastner now works. Pastner offered Harris while at Arizona, a school where Tobias’ cousin, Channing Frye played. But according to Mr. Harris, any schools that are interested should get involved soon.

“I feel that if any school wants him a lot then they will get on him early and stay on him,” says Mr. Harris. “We won’t be interested in anybody jumping on the bandwagon late.”

But that doesn’t mean that a decision will be soon. “I don’t understand why kids commit so early,” says Mr. Harris. “Things change so quickly. For instance we really liked Kelvin Sampson when he was recruiting Tobias for Indiana, but if he committed there, look what happened. Sampson is gone. So we will just go around to the top contenders and see which programs he fits in best at.”

Mr. Harris, who played at Duquesne in Pittsburgh, says his son only needs to improve his speed and agility before becoming the perfect package.

“He can shoot lights out, he’s a good rebounder, a good post up player, and he work really hard,” says Mr. Harris. “He also has a 3.8 GPA. He learns very quickly. You teach him something once and he will understand it right away. He’s very smart.”

Chris Dokish is a NBE Basketball Report contributor as well as a contributing editor of the Pittsburgh Sports Report where his stories are often featured in their Keystone Recruiting newsletter series, which you can sign up for free at their website.

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